Due to the extra cushion, all the Timp revisions will offer greater underfoot protection than all the Lone Peak revisions. Fit I have been running in it now for a few weeks and it remains a very good shoe for what it is designed to do, as was the TIMP 2. Don't push it hard on wet, highly technical trails but for runs which are a combination of pavement and trails, especially in the dry what you get is a very similar ride to the Torin 4.5 Plush but with a more technical outsole. Fit 10: Fit is true to size, doesn’t feel sloppy, and hugs the midfoot while still allowing ample room in the toebox. Works well even with a medium-volume insole or orthotic if you need it. How COROS Co-Founder, Lewis Wu, and World Greatest Mountain Athlete, Kilian Jornet, Began a New Chapter. Now let's talk about some other relatively minor things to consider. Underfoot protection & durability

At times, I noticed little pebbles found their way into the shoes easier than in some of my other pairs. This did not affect my enjoyment of the shoe but was something I noticed. There are flex grooves throughout to complement the midsole’s stiffness for a smooth ride. The zero-drop platform encourages midfoot striking – which also helps smoothen the ride out. After 10 plus runs on a variety of terrain, pavement, trails, gravel, and mulch, the Timp 3 has held up well.

The Bad

The effort to improve the fit is welcome and the shoe felt very secure on my foot, uphill and downhill and my toes were free to roam as they should in an ALTRA. The fit actually feels a bit better than say the Lone Peak 5 because the Toe Box is still a little narrower. I am not sure if it was the zero heel-to-toe offset, the type of midsole foam, or the weight of the rubber underneath, but these shoes seemed to hinder my run rather than help it. Superb traction Fast forward a season and the Timp 2 felt a bit off, particularly in regards to sizing, which was noticeably narrower and shorter than the previous version. The midsole had a nice update and the outsole traction remained the same, but the overall feel just wasn’t quite right. That’s why we were excited to find that revisions to this spring’s Timp 3 focus primarily on the fit of the upper, which is very similar to the old-school sizing we first admired. That’s the nutshell review of the Timp 3. If you loved the original, you’ll definitely love this new version. The Altra Timp 4 may be in Altra's standard fit, but when compared to other running shoes, it's still exceptionally roomy.

Speaking of Hoka, for a moment I mistook the drainage holes on the lateral parts of the Timp’s forefoot to be something akin to Hoka’s earliest models, where the wearer could actually drill their own holes into the lateral aspects of the shoe’s foam to create more inherent stability. But that’s an aside. I didn’t get to test these guys out in wet conditions yet so am unsure how they would have drained, but it seems they thought of every trail condition with this shoe. TAYLOR: Not all is good in the hood. I’m not sure that I have ever been audibly frustrated with a shoe before this. The consequence of this change in the upper design is an increase in weight from 281g to 311g in the TIMP 3. The shoes have maintained that lovely flexibility so the shoes bend with your feet. You never feel like you are fighting against the shoe to get on your toes while running up a steep climb.

The Altra Timp 4's midfoot is snug and we have no complaints of slips. And in the heel, the shoe was made plusher and more secure as a result. Personally I tend to prefer less cushioned, more responsive feeling shoes but the flexibility makes these shoes so easy to run in that I find I am often reaching for them for my easier and long runs! A pleasant surprise and I judged them as initially as being too soft for me! Mike P: First impression for me is all about fit and feel. As mentioned in the intro, I found previous Timps to be unexciting overall. They just felt a bit stiff, as well as flat underfoot. I know some people really liked them, but I imagine you’d have to be more of an Altra adherent to appreciate their fit and feel. The shoe remains comfy and spacious even when the foot starts to swell after long miles of running. TAYLOR: I would dare to say that the Timp has taken over, or equaled, the top spot for Altra’s number one preferred trail shoe. These things have gained a lot of popularity for creating a phenomenal balance in a shoe. For the foot-shaped zero-drop fanatics, it is pretty much a dream shoe that can handle the longest of races and the most technical terrain.

Still a pretty incredible trail shoe for mountain running, just maybe not as good as the last version Mike P: The biggest element of the upper is of course, the space in the toebox. Previous Timps have been a bit on the narrower side relative to other Altra models. I’d say there’s a bit more volume in this toebox than previous versions. Definitely not Lone Peak-level space, but it should be suitable for most that do enjoy or need it. The mesh upper material in the toebox area is a bit looser, so I don’t feel any pressure either on the outsides or over the top of my forefoot. There’s definitely room to stretch as well, so as long as you are properly sized, toebox space should not be an issue with the Timp 4.

Altra Women's Timp

Timp 4 is more cushioned, noticeably at the forefoot. MTN Racer 2 wins on traction and rubber durability. I’d take the MTN Racer 2 for moderate distance mountainous runs, and the Timp 4 for everything else on the more moderate side of the terrain spectrum. Shannon: This is a great shoe. Very versatile in terms of the terrain it can handle and runs it can accommodate. Honestly, this will probably be my go-to trail shoe for a while even though Altra has never been a go-to shoe for me despite the fact that I’ve always found them comfortable…something about them just didn’t agree with my footstrike, where somehow this one does. The amount of cushioning in this shoe inspires confidence for longer miles, yet it’s light and nimble enough for faster days. It felt great straight out the box and a dozen miles down the trail. I’m impressed! Inov-8 Parkclaw: A higher heel to forefoot drop of 8mm make these less of a midfoot running shoe. However, they have the same versatile outsole and cushioning. https://www.northernrunner.com/search/parkclaw